The Island

So I saw the Island on thursday night with my mom, and I for one really liked it. I don't know if that counts for much, but still. ;)

I am always willing to watch Ewan on screen, but I liked him in this movie because it shows him as being intelligent and curious, and that's really all that gets him ahead, instead of sheer dumb luck like in a lot of movies. And also both he and the girl are both very sweet and innocent amidst all the violence, so that's an added bonus. I loved his character. AND you get American Ewan and Scottish Ewan. (2 for 1, count me in!)

A few good funny lines to lighten it up, and some amazing action sequences I wouldn't have expected from the preview. And the foreign mercenery guy (who's picture's up top) is pretty cool too. And I really liked the way it was shot, with a lot of dramatic angles and handheld stuff - it put you in the movie. My mom kept covering her eyes. ;)

The WEIRDEST THING about this movie and the REASON WHY YOU PROBABLY SHOULDN'T LISTEN TO ME is that #1: no one involved in this movie except for the actors has really ever done anything of note as far as I can tell (director did Armeggedon, as well as that blasted Pearl Harbor) and #2: as far as I can tell it appears to be TOTALLY ORIGINAL.

That's right - three guys actually sat down, made up a story, and wrote something new. (Shocking I know, see how shocked Ewan is?) I didn't believe it either, but it's not an old movie from the 70s, and it wasn't a TV show in the Netherlands or something. It appears to be based on a story one of them wrote. And that's it.

So that may be the real reason I like this movie (besides Ewan). It's actually almost new. Not that it's not chocked full of cliches and ideas you've seen before. At least you've never seen them this way, right? Well, I haven't. ;)

Rent it on video - don't risk your 15 bucks on my word. ;) After all, I liked Planet of the Apes.